Alumni News

On June 30 at the Cattaraugus County Campus in Olean, JCC broke ground on a new Manufacturing Technology Institute. The 20,000 square foot facility will cost around $6 million to construct. The building is expected to be complete in March 2016 and will be able to house classes starting with the summer 2016 semester. It will offer both credit and non-credit programs, as well as maker space. The Alumni Relations Office is thrilled to see this new development at our Cattaraugus County Campus. JCC, like the region's other academic institutions, is an economic powerhouse and we're at the forefront of making sure our region's employers have a qualified workforce pool. We can't wait to welcome alumni of this new facility to the JCC alumni network!

The Weeks Gallery[5] will be hosting "Far and Away," an art exhibition featuring the work of seven alumni, throughout the month of July 2015. The exhibition will feature highly naturalistic figurative drawings next to interactive new media and video installations and will include the work of Bethany Bjork, '08; Bernard Aaron Dolecki, '10; Lori Kraemer, '01; Sharise Peacock, '12; Justin Sorenson, '07; Kyle Turner, '07; and Leah Yerpe, '05. An opening reception is set for July 7 from 6-8 p.m. at the Gallery. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artists and ask questions. For more information about "Far and Away," click here[6].

Three individuals will receive the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award during Jamestown Community College’s commencement exercises on Saturday, May 16 in Jamestown.

Sharon Hamilton; Carol S. Johnson, Ph.D., RN, NE-BC; and Ebrahim Randeree will be honored as Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients. The event begins at 10 a.m. in the Physical Education Complex on the Jamestown Campus.The ceremony will also recognize August and December 2014 and May 2015 graduates.

Presented by the JCC Alumni Association, the award honors those who have typified the college’s tradition of excellence and brought credit to the college through personal accomplishment, professional achievement, or humanitarian service. Of approximately 21,000 alumni, only 89 have been named Distinguished Alumni.

"It is our pleasure and privilege to honor these alumni," said Kristen Johnson, JCC's alumni relations director. "They began their academic careers at JCC and have gone on to achieve great things. They are wonderful role models and shining examples of the heights our students can reach."

Sharon Hamilton, '89

Sharon Hamilton, '89

Sharon Hamilton retired in October 2014 as the Vice President of Lutheran Senior Housing at Lutheran Social Services, where she worked for 30 years.

A 1989 alumna of JCC, where she earned a degree in social science, Mrs. Hamilton went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in human service administration in 1992 from Empire State College. She holds two master’s degrees: one in community counseling from St. Bonaventure University, which she earned in 1996; and one in professional studies and community services from Alfred University, which she earned in 2000. In addition, she holds a graduate certification in gerontology from the University of North Texas-Denton.

Mrs. Hamilton is deeply involved in the community. She is a member of the Jamestown Noon Rotary, where she has been a past president, board member, and Paul Harris Fellow. She is also the current Assistant Rotary District Governor. In addition, Mrs. Hamilton serves as a board member and the treasurer for First Things First. She is a past board member of several organizations, including Family Service of the Chautauqua Region, the Joint Neighborhood Project, the Chautauqua Blind Association, and the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

Mrs. Hamilton is a recipient of the Harriet Danielson Service Award from First Lutheran Church. She was also named the United Way Volunteer of the Year for both the Chautauqua Blind Association and Family Service of the Chautauqua Region. She is also a recipient of the Zonta Women in Leadership Award and the YWCA Women of Achievement Award.

Dr. Carol S. Johnson, '66

Dr. Carol S. Johnson, '66

Dr. Carol S. Johnson, who will also give the commencement address, is a renowned healthcare leader, nursing advocate, and philanthropist.

After graduating from JCC in 1966 with a degree in nursing, Dr. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Purdue University, a master’s degree in public affairs at Indiana University, and a doctorate in health administration at Warren National University.

She retired in 2011 after a 47-year career at Parkview Health System in Indiana. Her tenure there began as a staff nurse in the pediatrics unit and, in increasing levels of responsibility, she managed nursing care in different departments. After serving as a nursing resource management specialist in the early 1990s, Dr. Johnson coordinated clinical staff development activities. Prior to retirement, Dr. Johnson served as Parkview’s clinical excellence and nursing research director for nearly four years. She managed clinical education activities for Parkview’s seven-hospital system, providing leadership for nursing research and documentation, staffing effectiveness, and nursing care measurement.

Dr. Johnson is the recipient of several leadership and achievement awards and has been an active member of various nursing organizations. She is the author of “What Would Florence Do? A Guide for New Nurse Managers” and has contributed to, or co-authored, content for professional journals and books. She has been a columnist for “The Indiana Nurse” since 2002. Dr. Johnson, a member of the Philanthropic Educational Organization, established the Sue Johnson Nursing Scholarship with the Parkview Hospital Foundation to provide funding for hospital employees pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Ebrahim Randeree, '88

Ebrahim Randeree, '88

Ebrahim Randeree is the Associate Dean in the College of Communication and Information at Florida State University. He is also a member of the faculty there, and developed several courses including social media management, information technology leadership, and advanced health informatics.

Ebe graduated from JCC in 1988 with a degree in computer science. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1992. He holds a MBA in health systems management and a Ph.D. (ABD) in management information systems both from the University at Buffalo.

Over the years, Ebe has been widely acclaimed for his work and leadership. Most recently, in 2014, he was named the STARS Alliance Advisor of the Year and a recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award. In 2012, he was the recipient of the College of Communication and Information Leadership Award and the recipient of the Faculty of the Year Award for the School of Library and Information Studies. Randeree is a volunteer at Girl Scouts of the Florida Panhandle coding and tech camps, which are designed to teach girls how to code.

Two individuals will receive the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award during Jamestown Community College’s commencement exercises on Friday, May 15. The ceremony will recognize Scott Kruse and Marjorie McIntosh, as well as August and December 2014 and May 2015 graduates. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Olean YMCA/JCC Physical Education Center on Wayne Street in Olean.

Presented by the JCC Alumni Association, the award honors those who have typified the college’s tradition of excellence and brought credit to the college through personal accomplishment, professional achievement, or humanitarian service. Of approximately 21,000 alumni, only 89 have been named Distinguished Alumni.

"It is our pleasure and privilege to honor these alumni," said Kristen Johnson, JCC's alumni relations director. "They began their academic careers at JCC and have gone on to achieve great things. They are wonderful role models and shining examples of the heights our students can reach."

Scott Kruse, '85

Scott Kruse, '85

Scott is the programming manager at Cutco Corporation, where he has worked for more than 29 years. During his tenure there, he has been involved in every aspect of developing the company’s computer infrastructure, from designing the systems to creating the programming.

A 1985 alumnus of JCC, where he earned a degree in computer science at the Cattaraugus County Campus, Kruse went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science from St. Bonaventure University.

He is a past board member of the Salvation Army, where he has been involved with the annual red kettle drive for 15 years. He is a longtime board member of the HomeCare & Hospice Foundation, where he is currently the treasurer and an active participant in the annual Hospice Walk. In 2005, Kruse graduated from Leadership Cattaraugus. He currently serves on the vestry at St. Stephens Church in Olean and is the chairman for this year’s German Fest. He was a member of the committee for the Louis Zamperini monument at War Vets Park in Olean and is deeply involved as a volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America.

Marjorie McIntosh, '98

Marjorie McIntosh, '98

Marjorie retired in December 2014 as the Assistant Director for Recruitment and Admissions at JCC’s Cattaraugus County Campus. She also held other positions at JCC, including that of student recruiter and college-to-work workforce specialist.

She holds two associate’s degrees: one in secretarial science from Monroe Community College, which she earned in 1970; and one from JCC in social sciences, which she earned in 1998. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Human Relations from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in 2000.

Marjorie has long been deeply involved in the community. She is a member of the JCC Alumni Association board of directors for the Cattaraugus County Campus, the Leadership Cattaraugus board of directors, and the Everywoman Opportunity Center advisory board. She also volunteers with the American Cancer Society, HomeCare and Hospice, Carly’s Club, and Koats for Kids.

Gregory Fish, who served as executive director of Jamestown Community College's Faculty Student Association, retired recently.

During his tenure at JCC, which began in 1980, Fish served a variety of roles in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). He was the Region III men's regional director from 1997 to 2008, was the national committee chairman for the men's ice hockey, golf, basketball, and swimming and diving committees, and was a member of the national budget/finance and executive committees as well as the men's bowling, baseball, and soccer committees. Fish also served as the NJCAA Division 3 men's baseball tournament director and the NJCAA Division 3 men's golf national championships director.

A graduate of JCC and the State University of New York at Oswego, Fish also oversaw JCC's athletics program for several years.

John Stahley, Class of 1986, has been appointed to the JCC Board of Trustees by the Cattaraugus County Legislature. His term will expire in 2021.

He is the general manager of Dresser-Rand[11]'s Olean operations, a position to which he was named after serving as the company’s director of operations. Since joining Dresser-Rand in 1990, he has held progressively more responsible positions in engineering, project management, and manufacturing. John also served as manager of Turbo Products for Dresser-Rand's Shanghai Compressor Co. in Shanghai, China between 1996 and 1998.

John earned an associate's degree in engineering science[12] from JCC and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He later earned an MBA at St. Bonaventure University. He is deeply involved in the community. He serves on the boards of directors for the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier, the Olean Area Chamber of Commerce, Dream It Do It Cattaraugus County, and the Olean Area Executive Alliance. He is also a member of the Northwest Quadrant Revitalization Plan steering committee in Olean. Stahley also served on JCC’s presidential transition team. A certified project management professional, he is the author of several technical papers and the Dry Gas Seals Handbook.

Jeanette Seawright, Class of 2004, has marked her 25th year working for Vector Marketing Corp. Jeanette joined the company in 1990 as a mail room attendant and data processing operator. Over the years, she has earned promotions to data processing operator and senior data processing representative. She assumed her current responsibilities in 2013.

Jeanette earned a degree in business administration from JCC and distinguished herself by earning membership to Phi Theta Kappa.

Community colleges meet their students where they are and provide them with a wide array of resources they need to succeed -- something alumna Jennifer Morgan-Burt, Class of 2011, knows first-hand.

Jennifer overcame long odds to progress to her career in social work. She dropped out of high school at the age of 17 and earned her GED when she was 20 and pregnant. Twelve years later, at 32, Jennifer came to JCC and excelled in our developmental studies program. She graduated with high honors and distinguished herself by earning induction to Phi Theta Kappa. She then went on to earn a degree from Empire State College with high honors. In the workforce, Jennifer found her calling as a homeless intervention specialist at Cattaraugus Community Action and then became a program manager for a single room occupancy facility. She went on to pursue a Master's in Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

The report says community colleges like JCC are the driving force behind strengthening the economic power & educational readiness of New York State. This provides a significant return on investment, not only to students, but also to taxpayers, employers & local communities. The report details how community colleges collectively added $809 billion in income to the US economy. In New York, SUNY and CUNY community colleges serve among the largest populations of public higher education, with nearly 240,000 students enrolled at the 30 SUNY community colleges, in addition to more than 98,000 students at seven CUNY institutions.

Troy Bouckhuyt, Class of 2004, was recently featured in a series on local students who have received support from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

Troy, who graduated from Southwestern Central High School and earned a degree in criminal justice from JCC, graduated from the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Academy and is now a deputy sheriff with the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office. In 2008, he attended the FBI's Hazardous Devices School in Alabama and received his bomb technician certification, becoming one of approximately 2,900 bomb technicians in America. As a member of the Chautauqua County Bomb Squad and SWAT Team, Troy and his unit are responsible for responding to calls involving IEDs, suspicious materials, and explosive substances in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties. This is in addition to their primary roles as patrolmen and investigators.

In addition to relevant coursework, students at the Sheriff's Academy also participate in hands-on field training in which they have the opportunity to ride along with current members of the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office. Here, Troy is shown working with a bomb-diffusing robot during a robotics training event with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office.

Joan V. Cusimano Lindquist, Class of 1960, has announced that work on her third book is under way, with hopes to publish in 2015. The book will feature the history of Brooklyn Square and will be titled, "Remembering Brooklyn Square: The 1930s to the 1960s."

Joan is the author and editor of two books on local history, "The Lost Neighborhood Collection," published in 2010, and "Brooklyn Square, the Lost Neighborhood, and Beyond," published in 2013. These books are available at the Fenton History Center on Washington Street in Jamestown and Off the Beaten Path, a bookstore on Chautauqua Avenue in Lakewood. The books are also available via direct mail order by contacting Joan via email (scandit[at]att.net).

Joan graduated from Jamestown High School in 1958 and graduated in 1960 from JCC with high honors. She went on to Harpur College in Binghamton, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in British Literature in 1962. She returned to Jamestown and taught in the English department at Jamestown High School from 1962 to 1964. During the Spring 1964 semester, she taught a class in freshman composition and literature at JCC in the evening division.

In a letter to the Alumni Relations Office, Joan writes, "This publishing venture has been an interesting enterprise for me in my retirement from college teaching."